Display box



June 11,1946. H MAGILL 2,402,062

DI SPLAY BOX Filed May ll, 1944 Patented June 11, 1946 UNITED STATES kPATENT OFFICE DISPLAYBOX Herbert L. Magill, Chicago, Ill.

Application May 11, 1944, Serial No. 535,179

l Claims. 1

This invention relates to boxes or cartons intended to be placed on counters, in showcases or in store windows for advertising and displaying the goods which they contain.

One object of the invention is to provide a simple and eective support by which the box or carton may be held in an inclined position for more eiectively displaying its contents.

Another object is to include as a portion of the box structure a display surface for advertising matter relating to the goods, and to provide means for securing rmly in position the portion of the structure serving this purpose.

Another object is to include a simple device for holding a sample of the goods in position for display, and in addition to the several packages of such goods which may be contained in the box or carton itself.

And a further object is .to provide the supporting means and the display area in such form that they shall occupy substantially no additional space when the box is closed for shipment.

The invention consists in certain features and elements of construction in combination, as herein shown and described and as indicated by the claims.

In ie drawing:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a display box embodying this invention, showing the parts adjusted in display position.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same, showing certain parts in section.

Fig. 3 is a rear elevation of the box with its cover adjusted to display position but with the supporting foot member omitted.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view showing the box in closed position ready for shipment.

Fig. 5 is a bottom plan view of the carton with the supporting foot-piece inverted and attached thereto, ready for shipment.

Fig. 6 is a bottom plan view showing the foot- Apiece folded and set up in position for use.

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the foot-piece with its ange and tabs folded into the positions which they occupy when applied to the carton for supporting the same.

As shown in Fig. 1, the carton or box embodying this invention includes side walls I, I, a front wall 2, a back wall 3, and a cover hinged to the back wall at Il, and including a principal area 5, which serves as a display surface and which may be understood as containing advertising matter calling attention to the goods in the carton. For purposes of illustration, Fig. 1 shows three unit packages 6, each of which may be considered as containing one of the items on sale,

and such an item in the form of a special type of eye cup is shown at 1, supported upon a lateral wing 8 of the cover. A similar wing 9 extends at the opposite side and may be used for advertising matter in addition to that occupying the area 5.

As seen in Fig. 4, the cover is formed with a slit It, by which the display area 5 is separated from that portion of the cover shown at II. which is directly hinged to the back wall 3 along the line d. At the front edge the cover includes a flap I2 which is tucked into the front of the box in closed position, and at both sides the cover includes lateral flaps I3 which are also tucked into the box between its side walls I and the contents, such as the unit packages 6.` Preferably, in the process of manufacture the cover is scored for folding along the lines I4, I4 so that the forward edge of the cover, including the` iiap I2, may be swung downwardly to bring the display area 5 into position to be viewed from the front of the box. The score lines I4, I4 extend into the ilaps I3 so that these aps are also folded and serve to provide adequate connection between the display area 5 and the hinged portion I I of the cover from which that edge is cut away at. the line lil. When the cover is thus set up in open position the flaps I3 extend in the same planes as the portions of the cover to which they are connected, namely, the area 5 and the portion II; and to hold the parts firmly in position the Yflap I2 of the cover is tucked into an arcuate slit I5 formed in the back wall, as seen in Fig. l, and outlining the tab I6 which thus extends in front of the flap I2 to retain it. The width of the flap I2 between its lower edge and the line of fold II at which it is joined to the cover is slightly greater than the distance from the ends of the arcuate slot I5 up to the hinge line 4 at which the cover is attached to the back wall, 3. As a result, the display portion 5 of the cover is supported by the ap I2 in a plane which makes a slight angle with that of the hinged portion II of the cover, as seen in Fig. 2, and the display area 5 is thus braced quite nrmly at the desired angle by frictional engagement of its ilap l2 in the slot I5.

To support the sample device 'I on the wing portion 8 which is a part of one of the flaps I3, this wing is formed with a curved slot I8 in which there is engaged a rubber band I8i, forming a loop extending from the front face of the area 8, as seen in Fig. l. This provides an elastic securing member easily tted to a wide variety o: of articles of merchandise which may be displayed in this manner, and, incidentlly, it permits either the customer or the sales person to remove the article readily for closer examination, and to replace it easily in display position. In order to render the contents of the carton, such as the individual unit packages 6, readily visible, and permit them to contribute their part to the display, it is better to support the carton at an inclined position so that the observer standing in front of the counter or window where the goods are displayed may look downwardly and into the carton, and will see readily what it contains. To accomplish this I provide a foot-piece which is made as a separate part, but may be of the same material as the box itself, and which includes a cross-member 20 with a flange 2i foldably attached at one edge, and with leg portions 22,- 22 connected to its opposite ends. The bottom wall L9 of the box is formed with a pair of slits I8a spaced apart laterally by a distance substantially .equal to the `length of the cross-member 2l) and its ilange 2l so that terminal tabs 2 3 on the flange 2il may be inserted in the slits I9il with Vthe remainder of thel `foot-piece lying flatly against the bottom of the box, as shown 4inFig. 5. rTo positionA the foot-piece for service the cross- Ymember 2U is then swung approximately at right ,angles to the plane of the bottom i9 and of the flange 2l so as to project away from the bottom Wall of the box. Then the leg portions 22, 22 are swung about the scorelines 24 to extend in planes parallel to each other and substantially .ati right angles to the plane of the cross mem- .ber 20. Tabs 25 on the leg portions are tucked into -the. slits lila to secure them in these posi- ;tions, and with the .foot-piece thus adjusted the .inclined lower edgesr26 of the parts 25vwill be substantially aligned with the supporting survvface ion which the forward edge of the box rests, `as seen in Fig. 2. Thus a very substantialand rigid support is supplied by simply folding a flat 'blank of material along previously scored lines .and tucking the securing flaps into the slits I9a of the bottom wall of the box.

As is evident from'Fig. l, the removal of a tportion of the unit packages 6 which originally fill the box completely would leave the bottom wall exposed; and if the top surfaces of the pack .ages 6 are relied upon for advertising, a portion Aofthe display is thus removed each time one of vthe units 6 isvsold and taken from the carton. ,Therefore I prefer to place in the bottom of the .box a flat display member 30 which, if desired, tmay be colored and printed to simulate the top faces of the units 6 so that the appearance of vthe assembly will be less altered by the removal Vof some of the units 6. Particularly if the color scheme of the display area 5 is in contrast to the `coloring of the units 6, it will be desirable to maintain the original color scheme by making 'themember 30 of the same color as the packages l 6.. Obviously, however, this member 30 may con- .tain advertisinggmatter, not necessarily similar to that on the unit 6 but which will be brought into view as the latter are removed from the carton, and will thus make'eifective use of the bottom larea of the carton as the unit packages are removed from it. Y 1

It willbe recognized that this invention pro- "vid'e's a stand adaptable to almost any form of 'carton or box construction by merely providing V-two slits in the bottom of the box. And since the stand is not an integral part of the box itself 'its `formationdoes not involve the creation of openings in the bottom of the box, as is the case when foot-pieces or supports are thus formed from a portion of the bottom area. It will also be understood that the use of the stand is not limited to cartons containing a plurality of smaller packages, but that it is equally adapted to individual packages which can be displayed to better advantage by tilting them by means of this support.

One special advantage of my construction is that the supporting stand, being constructed of a single unitary piece of flat sheet material, can be shipped with the carton, being packed either under the cover inside the box or secured against the bottom, as seen in Fig. 5, with the tabs 23 already inserted in the slits IBR. When thus arranged the erection of the stand is extremely simple because merely by swinging the crossmember 20 about the scored line of fold to bring it vinto theposition in which it projects away from the bottomof the box, the tabs 25 of the leg members 22 are bent or folded in relation to the leg members so that when the latter are swung about their score lines 24 the tabs 25 are readily tucked into the slits The bracing of the cover presents the display area 5 at a definite position, insuring its eiective use at all times and, incidentally, strengthens the cover so that it will sustain the weight of any sample article, such as lthat shown at 1, held in position by the band lea.

Ifclaim as my invention l. An upwardlyvopen display box and means for supporting it in tilted position resting on the forward edge of its bottom wall, said means comprising a foot-piece of ilat stock including a crossmember extending parallel to said forward edge and disposed rearwardly thereof with 'leg portions bent to extend at right angles to the plane of the cross-member, the bottom wall of the box having a pair of slits spaced apart and extending foreand-aft therein, said cross-member having a base flange disposed flatly against said bottom wall with tabs at opposite ends of said flange inserted in said slits respectively, and the leg portions having tabs at their upper ends respectively. folded at right angles to the legs and also inserted in said slits to hold the leg portions in position.

2. Anupwardly open displayv box and a support adapted for attachment to the bottom wall of the box comprising a unitary member of sheet material which includes a pair of leg portions spaced apart in parallel planes and joined by a cross-member extending in a plane substantially at right angles-to those'of the legs, each of the legs having a tab at its upper end and the crossmember having a ilange at its upper edge. said ilange and tabs extending transversely of the legs and cross-member and in a common plane, the bottom Vwall of the box having slits disposed 'adjacent said tabs and said flange, said tabs and a portion of the flange being inserted in said slits in the bottom wall of the box to secure the support thereto.

3. An upwardly open display box and a support adapted for attachment to thebottom Wall of the box comprising a unitary member of sheet material shaped to lie in flat form within the outlines of the bottom of the box whereby it may be packed flatly against such wall, said member being scored for folding and to form a pair of Aleg portions with a cross-member joining them and extending in a plane transverse to the planes ofthe legs and with a tab at the upper end of Aeach leg and anange at the upper edge of the cross-member, said flange and tabs being scored for bending into a common plane transverse to those of the legs and cross-member, said flange having tabs at its opposite ends fitted respectively into a pair of slits spaced apart in the bottom of the box for holding the support in flat form against the` bottom of the box, said slits being dimensioned to receive also the tabs of the leg portions when the cross-member and legs are folded into planes extending away from the box bottom.

4. An upwardlyopen display box and a support adapted for attachment to the bottom wall of the box comprising a separate unitary member of 'sheet material shaped to lie in flat form within the outlines of the bottom of the box whereby it may be packed flatly against said wall, said member being scored for folding and to form a pair of leg portions with a cross-member joining them and extending in a plane transverse to those of the legs and with a tab at the upper end of each leg bendable at right angles thereto and a ange at the upper edge of the cross-member, said ange being adapted to be secured to said bottom Wall of the box adjacent the rear edge thereof with the line of fold between said flange and the cross-member disposed at a distance from said edge at least as great as the length of said bent tabs, and said bottom wall having a pair of A 20 port is extended in operative position.

HERBERT L. MAGILL. 

